A Havelock man has been arrested in connection with the statutory rape of a 12-year-old girl in Carteret County.

Bryan Raul Dieppa-Ramirez, 20, of Cedar Ridge Lane in Havelock, was arrested Feb. 9 by the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office, according to a release Tuesday morning. He faces a charge of felony first-degree rape.

Maj. Jason Wank of the Carteret County Sheriff’s office said the charge stems from a seven-month investigation.

“He has been aware of the investigation since last July and he has cooperated with law enforcement in this investigation,” Wank said of Dieppa-Ramirez. “We called him and he turned himself in to the deputies that were waiting for him at the magistrate’s office in Beaufort.”

The crime allegedly occurred in Newport in July of 2013. Wank said the victim lives in Carteret County, and that Dieppa-Ramirez and the victim may have had an online relationship. Wank would not release further details about the case, citing the age of the victim.

Dieppa-Ramirez remains in the Carteret County Jail under a $200,000 bond. His next court date is scheduled for April 4.

Dieppa-Ramirez is a U.S. Marine assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing based at Cherry Point, according to Lt. Hector Alejandro, of the base public affairs office. Alejandro said that Dieppa-Ramirez has not been charged under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.